A call to support the IIRE in Amsterdam
24 July 2020
These are difficult times for many of us, and our political activities are affected as well. Under pressure of the crisis, the IIRE in Amsterdam has been forced to postpone or cancel several activities. And not only our own activities have been cancelled. To sustain its operations, the IIRE relies on income from renting out our bed-spaces and meeting rooms. But we have been forced to temporarily cease renting out our spaces, and several important customers that had booked for the following months have cancelled. Even when the IIRE can reopen there will be fewer customers, as international travel and activities will decline.
This is all the more unfortunate because many of our biggest costs, such as taxes, staff costs and insurance for the building, remain the same, regardless of whether there are onsite activities in the IIRE or not.
This summer we are continuing with our own activities but in an online format. The bi-annual LGBTIQ seminar and our first ever Anti-Racism discussions have already taken place very successfully with online interpretation. Although the online format meant a much reduced time for meeting it also enabled more comrades to participate, especially from the Global South. The yearly Youth School will also take place in an online format.
We have also just published a new book; Revolutions betrayed, mislaid and unmade by Ian Parker and are working on several new books including the memoirs of Livio Maitan in French (in collaboration with La Brèche).
The IIRE does not exist to make money but to organize and host the educational activities of the Fourth International and contribute to the development of left-wing thought. Comrades who have participated in one or more of the many schools and seminars that we organized are often very positive about the experience and what they have learned here. The IIRE is a unique resource for the Fourth International, a space where we can bring together comrades from all over the world for discussion and exchange. But the current crisis is hitting us hard, and we are not yet at the end of it.
Our financial state is serious but not yet desperate. In recent years, we have broken even and we have a modest reserve. But to sustain the IIRE in the medium and long term, we need your help.
What can you do? Comrades can help in several ways. First of all, we need financial support. People can make a donation through bank transfer or Paypal using the information on our website: http://iire.org/wp/donate/
A few sections make contributions to the IIRE as well. If you think your section is in a position to make a contribution to the survival of the IIRE, then please raise this issue within your organisation. Donations, big or small, all make a difference. The comrades at IIRE would be happy to discuss in more detail our financial state and what costs need to be covered. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, or if you simply want to discuss with us to see what is possible.
If you are not able to make a donation, then you can circulate this call among comrades and sympathizers who might be interested in supporting our work. Alternatively, you can put the IIRE in contact with such people so that we can discuss possible support together.
We thank you for your solidarity, and hope to be able to meet you in person again soon!
Maral Jefroudi
Alex de Jong